Twenty-two years ago, Christine Johnson joined the NAA. Now, she is a senior member who has participated in numerous NAA and town events, and is known for her kind soul and artistic talent.

Christine describes herself as a landscape oil painter. “I love the feel of the oil paint against the linen canvas using either a brush or a palette knife,” she says. She is inspired by artists such as Renoir, Monet, and Sargent. She told me that it was her mother, a watercolorist herself, who encouraged her to start painting over 24 years ago.

With so many years of experience, Christine offers some advice to other artists: “For me, being an artist is an ever-evolving process of creation and discovery, frustration and elation. It’s keeping a fine balance,” she says, “be true to yourself, pursue what you want to do”.

Christine received her BA at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and earned her MEd in creative arts at Lesley University. “It was during this time,” she says, “that I really started to experiment with my own creativity and developed a love for painting”. Before becoming a full-time artist, Christine taught 1st grade and kindergarten, right here in Newburyport for 36 years. “I carried my love of art to my classroom, where I infused my curriculum with art at every juncture that I could,” she says. She had funny and cute stories to share with me about her years teaching. “Sometimes I had to keep myself from laughing, when I was reprimanding a student,” she told me.

After deciding to dedicate herself to art full-time, Christine joined the NAA. This led to pursuing memberships at other art associations including: the National Association of Women Artists in New York, Florida, and Massachusetts, Seacoast Art Association, Concord Art Association, North Shore Arts Association, Rockport Art Association, and seARTS in Gloucester. She is also a member and former president of the NAA’s Band of Brushes Featured Interest Group, which is a group of eleven artists who meet once a week to paint ‘en plein air’ (out in the open air). Christine told me that she works best with other artists. She thrives with others because of the sense of trust and friendship she feels, “I love the comradery of working with other artists ... I love getting their advice”.

Christine's upcoming shows include:

Art on Bartlett Mall July 28 to 29

NAA Band of Brushes Group Show August 27 to September 9

She also has a solo show at the NAA entitled “Passages” which will be on view October 23 to November 4

Most exciting for the NAA, Christine will be a Juror at the Young & Budding Artist’s show for the NAA on March 11, 2018. The NAA’s annual Young & Budding Artists Show brings in 125 young artists (Grades 1-12) each year who each submit one work across the media. “My appreciation for children’s’ talents, creativity and their love of learning will highlight my choices when I jury”.